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Be Memorable: Why I Wrote An 8,000-Word Blog Post (and Why You Should Do Something Just As Crazy)

Bonus Content: Download the printable checklist for “Be Memorable…” you can read at your leisure. Just click here. It’s free.

In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Gwyneth Paltrow will have done something pretentious, Taylor Swift will have broken up with another boyfriend, and 21 new blogs will have been created.

You see, supposedly, a new blog is being created somewhere in the world every half second.

Every half second.

How can you succeed as a blogger when approximately 172,800 new blogs are created each and every day?

How can you compete?

How can you get noticed?

“Write great content,” they say…

Should you aim to produce content that’s not just good, but — dare I say it — great? Yes.

(Why would you want to produce mediocre content anyway? This isn’t high school and your blog isn’t a paper you’ve been asked to write for P.E. class.)

But if everyone is preaching “write great content,” and everyone is writing great content (or at least trying to), how exactly will writing great content help you get noticed?

Wearing a three-piece suit to the grocery store will get you noticed, right?

If everyone started dressing that way, you would just blend into the crowd.

Great content is important, but it isn’t enough.

“Have a great blog design,” they say…

I’ve been designing and developing webpages since 2001. Oh how I wish a nice blog design was the key to getting noticed and having blogging success.

This is hardly the case, though.

Nice, clean blog designs can be had for free. Custom designs can be had for a fair price. And there are tools readily available which allow those with no design experience whatsoever to craft unique blogs of their own.

In short, having an attractive blog design isn’t a luxury reserved for the privileged few.

Are there questionable-looking blogs out there? Of course.

But there are nice-looking ones, too. A good many of them, in fact.

Having a great blog design is important, but it isn’t enough.

“Share your posts on social media,” they say…

When Be A Better Blogger launched in late May of 2014, I had a grand total of 22 followers on Google Plus.

Find an untapped resource and tap it.

Brian focuses on backlinks; Ana on traffic. Both utilize tactics which have slipped through the cracks for most of their peers.

So, if the competitors in your niche aren’t on Google Plus, dive head first into Google Plus. If none of your contemporaries are utilizing SlideShare, find a “PowerPoint for Dummies” book and go for it.

Research and see what your competition is missing. If they’re all in the north and south, go rule the east and west![tweet this]

Why so serious? Be funny!

Obviously, not all blog topics are suitable for levity. However, others are ripe for the picking.

If you can be genuinely funny in a niche where others are straitlaced and serious, you will stand out.

Look at Amy Harrison. She helps businesses with their content. Sounds boring, right?

Tell that to Amy. Her AmyTV videos are comedic gems which dare you not to hit the replay button.

If your competition brings helpful info to the table, and you bring helpful info and entertainment, you’re going to stand out. You’re going to be memorable.

Dedicate an entire post to an influential blogger.

Linking to an influential blogger happens all the time. But what about dedicating an entire post to one?

Neither Darren, Jeremy, nor Brian left Ramsay a comment like Seth left Will, but you can bet the post got their attention.

Want to be memorable to an influential blogger? Write about them, and do your best to reach out and let them know you wrote about them.

But don’t stalk them. Although, that would be memorable…

However, keep in mind: If you’re going to dedicate an entire post to an influential blogger, it better be good.

Imagine a hero of yours was coming over for dinner. Would you heat-up leftovers? Of course not. No, you would go all out!

A dedication post should be the same way. Why?

Because what if the influential blogger does see it?

What impression of you do you want them to have? That you’re the kind of blogger who heats-up leftovers, or the kind they should visit again and again because you go all out?

Remember, you want to be memorable, but in a good way.

Argue against conventional wisdom.

This one can be tricky, because you don’t want to argue for the sake of arguing. Plus, if what you’re arguing for or against is idiotic, people will notice you for the wrong reasons.

But here’s the idea…

Find a wildly held belief in your niche. It needs to be a belief you believe is wrong, or one you could reasonably argue is wrong.

Write a post arguing against it.

If it’s a hot-button issue that challenges a viewpoint people passionately hold, you’ll get noticed for writing it. Believe me.

As an example, Derek Halpern of Social Triggers once wrote a post saying design, not content, is king. Because people had been repeating the “content is king” mantra for so long, Derek’s post turned a lot of heads.

Wrapping up

Close to 1,000 new blogs were created while you read this post. What separates your blog from theirs?

One of the things you should notice about these examples is none of them are as crazy as my idea of writing an 8,000-word post.

Still, each of these will help you achieve what should be one of your goals as a blogger: getting noticed.

None of them will be easy. If they were easy, everyone would be doing them. And if everyone did them, no one would stand out. Right?

Take the road less traveled with your blog. Do what others aren’t doing, or do what they’re doing better.

So…

Are you ready to stand out?

[avatar email=”kevinjduncan@gmail.com” size=”125″]About Kevin J. Duncan
I use my very particular set of skills to help people become the best bloggers they can be. I serve a great God, love a great wife, and create things that are sometimes great. Ready to be a better blogger? Subscribe to my list.

This post was originally published on August 14, 2014. It has been updated. Creative Commons Images via Allan Dcosta (adapted) and hannak k (adapted).

Reader Interactions

Comments

You know why? That’s because I usually tend to write nearly 3000+ odd word posts too but stop myself seeing the word count, and each time someone or the other tells me they are too long, or why don’t I break them in bits etc. But I just don’t do that because I love writing long and making it a wholesome post!

I guess I shouldn’t feel guilty any longer, because you too are writing such long ones, and so does Ryan, and even Ana for that matter. It makes sense to write one epic post, even if it’s once a week – not to mention the links you’ve added up to this one, which makes it a great resource too.

Yes, those are the things we hear experts tell us or what we should be doing. Commenting on various blogs, which is something that has always worked for me, and I guess you too now. If you are out there reading a post, read it right through and then comment from ALL of your heart….I just don’t follow how people just leave a comment for backlinks or traffic. That’s one reason I removed CommentLuv for a while, as I experiment with other commenting system, to test my loyal readers too!

If you have to stand out from the crowd, write content that will help people, your readers, so that they come asking for more each time. Of course, blog commenting comes after that and then having a strong social presence – try to be a little all over, however best you can. I guess I’ve just been doing these things and they’ve worked for me so far.

You’re definitely not alone in your preference for writing long posts! I have a freelance gig which requires me to write 500-word articles. Five hundred words! It’s just too short for me.

I know some people prefer short posts (attention spans and all that), but give me a long post any day. It can’t just be long for long’s sake, but if it’s long and informative sign me up. You, Ana, Ryan, the Boost Blog Traffic gang… I guess I’m in good company by liking to write long posts. 🙂

How did your CommentLuv experiment turn out? I’ve been meaning to ask.

Thanks for commenting, Harleena. Always great to have you on my site. And thanks for the social shares earlier today!

Lol…you bet! I get a lot of those kind of offers too and it amazes me how people manage to say it all in 500 words! Even my comments often run over 800 words or more – I never count the words, but that’s what people say.

Absolutely! And I don’t find any problem in writing long posts one bit. More so, Google too prefers 2000+ words in a post, so we are giving it much more, guess should keep it happy too.

It’s going on pretty well and I am loving the NO spam, NO broken links with the default WP combination with the good features of CommentLuv that I am using presently. I didn’t want to use Discus because you cannot add any additional plugin that you might like with it, or might have gone for it, though I’ve used it earlier. Will be writing all about it very soon.

You are most welcome, and I’d surely stop by more often – lots to catch up with. 🙂

You made me chuckle with your “even my comments often run over 800 words” remark. That’s funny. And, you know, I probably have written a few comments like that, too!

Same here. A 2,000-word post is easier for me to write than a 500-word post. I don’t know if it’s because I tend to ramble (and you can’t afford to ramble if you’re sticking to 500 words) or what the reason, but it’s just easier.

Wow Kevin, I must go and check out your 8000’er post when I’ve got some time. Just this one really makes you think.

I’m in a parenting blog genre, and there’s tonnes of people, all very similar, writing the same type of topics. So yes, it’s a case of trying to find a new angle, or a new way of pulling all the relevant articles on the topic and making my blog the one to refer back to. Mostly my blog’s for me and my son, but obviously as things grow you wan to be seen as well.

I’m not sure most of my readers would find the time to read a long blog post, but if it’s chunked well, with headings, and is a relevant topic, then maybe they will. It’s worth giving things a go as there’s nothing to lose other than a few readers closing the browser.

Welcome to my blog! It’s such a treat to read comments from new readers.

Yes, do read my 8,317-word one when you have some time. It’s informative… and it’s long enough it can cure your insomnia, if you suffer from it! 🙂

Yes, the parenting genre is a crowded one for sure. I’m not too familiar with the blogs in the niche, but I imagine it’s as you say: Similar people, similar topics. Just like every other blogging niche.

I love your blog design, btw. It’s very nice. And it appears you’ve been up and running since 2011? Awesome. Three years is thirty in blogging years. 🙂

Agreed. A long post won’t feel long if it’s written well, headings are used, etc. But as I like to say: You know you and your readers far better than I do. Just because mine enjoy (or pretend to enjoy!) an 8,000-word post, yours might not. Or, they could respond with a “Where has this been all my life?” You just need to take the approach which works best for you.

Appreciate you stopping by, Emma. How did you discover my lil’ blog, if you don’t mind my asking?

Found you through Adrienne’s blog post on commenting. Nothing like trawling comments to find new blogs to read! Thanks for your comments on my blog.

Totally agree that it’s worth testing something different when writing posts – as long as I can think of the right topic. Which is so often the hardest thing – finding a topic that interests me and potentially my readers or new ones. I shall put the thinking cap on, check through my blog post ideas list and see what I come up with.

Ah, yes, Adrienne’s blog. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to hear Adrienne referrers quite a bit of traffic to me. And she hasn’t linked to me or written about me — all the referrals are from readers like yourself seeing one of my comments and clicking the link to my blog. I should send her a thank-you card. 🙂

Hopefully you’ll find some good possibilities when you browse through your blog post ideas list. Let me know what you come up with! It’ll be fun to see how readers put some of these suggestions of mine into action. 🙂

Thanks again for stopping by, Emma. Hope you are having a wonderful Friday and your weekend will be even better.

First off, thanks for the mention in the post. Completely unexpected but I truly appreciate it.
Everything you said is completely accurate and I’m going to focus on the points you raised:

1. Don’t just leave comments on other blogs. Leave epic comments on other blogs.

I started learning this a while back from reading comments being left by Harleena, Adrienne and Ryan more recently. It’s fine to just leave a regular comment but you’re right, if you want people (blog owners and other commenters) to notice you, you can’t leave generic comments.

2. Find a “definitive” post. Top it.

You raised something interesting here. When you have a post that you write and everyone approves of it and praises it, the pressure is usually on to top it. I go through that and each week I’m up to the challenge. But the great thing about this point is that you’re continuously improving your writing skills and slowly becoming a better blogger. So this is a great point that all bloggers should follow: try to make each blog post better than the last.

3. Find an untapped resource and tap it.

I haven’t thought too much about this but it does make alot of sense. And that’s exactly what Ana and Brian are both doing, and they’re doing it effectively. I may have to have to do some serious research and start niching down like they did.

4. Why so serious? Be funny!

I can’t remember exactly when, but about a month ago I changed up my entire writing style to how I write now. Before I was really serious and it came across in my posts but it just wasn’t my personality. I wasn’t being me for whatever reason. Now, I write really carefree and conversational dialogue and although I can’t be as funny with my posts as yourself, I’ll try to incorporate humor into future posts.

5. Dedicate an entire post to an influential blogger.

Great advice to help people get noticed by bloggers that are ahead of them. I plan to come out with a few posts like this in the future but it’s a great method. Although you may not always get the comment, at least you’ll get noticed, like you said.

To answer your question, I’m just going to be more me and try to perfect the style that I’m using. Hopefully it’ll lead me to more great posts in the future.

Will be sharing this great post, Kevin. Hope you have a great upcoming weekend.

You’re welcome! You (along with the others mentioned) have certainly separated yourselves in my mind by the epic comments you leave (and not just on my blog… I see you comment the same way on others I visit). Well done.

Yes, I definitely think it should be the goal of every blogger to make your next post your best. You’re not always going to succeed. In fact, you may fail more times than not. But if you’re not trying to better your own work, what business do you have trying to better an awesome “definitive post” someone else has written?

I have Ana to thank for whatever success I have with SlideShare. She introduced me to it. And Brian amazes me with the linking strategies he writes about. I’ve actually thought of strategies of my own simply by reading his ideas. That’s when you know you’ve found a good blogger… They teach you and motivate you to generate your own ideas.

I discovered your blog right around the time you changed from “serious” to your current style. I like this style much better! Today, reading your posts is like having a conversation with you. I think it’s really going to pay off for you.

Kelvin took a while to read your awesome monster and do you know what?
I completely agree with you that the stuff is a magnetic gem for links. You’ve done a thorough job. And that’s why I agree with Jon Morrow and Brian that it’s best to write fewer post than to write so many articles that people can readilly find the information anywhere.

That’s why Brian Dean post receive that tremendous amount of comment. Just one post a ,month-but he sets out to write monster article that gets linked to within 24hrs of publication.

I haven’t gotten there but I am trying to ensure the post I share are more detailed than before, this way I get more link to the most. Thanks so much for putting up that post.

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Very kind of you to say. Yes, I’m in agreement with Jon and Brian as well. I would rather write infrequent, detailed posts than frequent posts which are lighter on content!

Agreed, Brian really is amazing at what he does. I only discovered him a few weeks ago, but it’s amazing what he’s been able to do in such a short amount of time.

Best of luck with your blogging! I’ll have to come by and see very soon. Hope to see you again, Peter.

1,000 new blogs were created while I read your post – yikes! I expect another 500 are being created while I write this comment 😉

I couldn’t agree more – it’s tough to stand out online. And being creative or different definitely gets you attention.

I did something similar recently. I released a 4-part video training series (on list building). But instead of just giving free training on what to do without giving the how. I went a step further and provided step-by-step worksheets to go with each video.

Some people call me crazy for giving away so much free content. But I think it’s the right thing to do. I’ve already received several heart-felt thank you emails. Give, give, give and the good karma will come back to you!

By the way, you’ve inspired me to write a blog post about why I created my video training series. Is that OK?

Haha. It’s crazy to think how many new blogs pop up in such a short amount of time. The “good news” (though I suppose it’s also bad news considering they’re potential readers of mine) is many of these bloggers will give up and abandon their blogs.

Your idea to provide step-by-step worksheets to accompany each of your four videos was a great one! Trust still resonates with people. If they know you’re doing something you don’t have to do, if they know you will say “no” to a sale, if they know you’re trying to help them and not just help yourself… well, you have a reader (or customer) for life.

And that’s worth far more than a little bit of money you could make in the here and now.

Of course it’s okay for you to use this post as inspiration for your post. Looking forward to reading it! 🙂

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Sally. Thanks again for stopping by.

I have to admit I chuckled at myself when you encouraged us to be funny. I try to add little one liners in their every once in a while. I can usually tell who has a sense of humor when the catch them and tell me in their comments or on social media.

I have not thought about contributing an entire article to one person. It’s a really good idea and strategy. However, I guess it better be one of the best I’ve written to date if I’m going to do that!

I do agree that the basics are not enough. If you leave a comment, make it meaningful. I have started weeding out comments that are one and two sentences where I can tell someone is feeling an obligation. Please do me and yourself the favor and skip over me. I’m good with less comments if that’s what it means.

In that context, I also agree with leave a longer, more meaningful comment. A few weeks ago Enstine Muki replied to one of my comments with a “Wow! Your awesome comment is almost a blog article by itself.” LOL…

I do try to be careful. The goal is to offer enough information that enhances the bloggers article, offers value to him or her, and gives a reason for more engagement with readers.

I think another tool could be to extend the commenting conversation. Too many people don’t come back with a follow-up if it’s appropriate.

Great post Kevin. I’m looking forward to another EPIC article from you in the future. Your mission was definitely accomplished!

It’s interesting you mention the way some readers will comment on your one-liners. I’ve found the opposite to be true. Of course, my humorous points are sometimes so “out there” my readers, as my wife explains it, don’t know how to respond. Haha. So they just ignore it and move on like it never happened. 🙂

YES. If you’re going to dedicate an entire post to an influential blogger, it better be good.

Imagine if… I don’t know, the pope was coming to your house for dinner. Would you heatup leftovers? Hopefully not. No, you’d go all out.

A dedication post should be the same way because what if the influential blogger DOES see it? What impression of you do you want them to have? That you’re the kind of blogger who heats up leftovers, or the kind you should visit again and again because they go all out?

(Gosh, I’m thinking I should have included the above in the actual blog post. Haha. I may do just that…)

Yeah, I’m debating whether or not I should weed out one or two sentence comments from new commenters, too. If it’s not obvious to me you even read the post (because your comment is so short and so generic), can there really be a reason for them commenting other than getting a link? Probably not.

Thanks, Don. Hopefully, when I roll up my sleeves and begin the next epic post, it won’t wear me out as much as the last one did. Here’s hoping!

It’s scary to think that 1,000 new blogs were created JUST whilst reading this post, but it’s so true. What makes it scary is that it becomes even more apparent that you do need to stand out from the crowd.

What is it that your blog that is different to the others, what can you provide that readers can’t get elsewhere….basically why should readers come to you?

I love your comment about being funny. Sometimes we try to be too ‘professional’ and it just comes out as too serious and boring. Who want’s to read that! One of the things that stands out on your blog is your humor and it’s what makes you stand out. Bloggers need to find their own blogging voice and share a bit of ‘themselves’.

I also love the idea about dedicating an entire post to an influential blogger. It is a great way of getting noticed by them (provided you wrote great content that is)…lol

I know, right? At some point the statistic will simply be “everyone in the world has a blog.” Haha.

Asking, and answering, the questions you asked is so important. What does make your blog different? Why should readers come to you?

If you can’t answer them… well, I guess you do have your answers: “Nothing” and “they shouldn’t.”

And that’s a shame, because all of us have a unique voice! The only reason so many bloggers sound alike is they’re trying to sound alike. They write like they see others write. The write about the same topics they see others writing about.

It doesn’t have to be that way, of course. Sometimes, “being different” just means being yourself. 🙂

Thanks again for stopping by, Catherine. And thank you for publishing Dawn’s guest post earlier today where she mentions me. I think I’ll link to the post right here so anyone who comes across this comment will find it. 🙂

Many bloggers write blog post just for the sake of content. I agree, there is no point to do that or to follow all the trends. Well, 8k word post is totally overboard, but I think everybody should find own way to do things.

You’re so right. As a new-ish blogger I often feel inclined to hide under the covers and not even try since there is SO much competition! I’m just now figuring out the most effective ways to market myself, but even those aren’t enough to really make a statement.

I’ve been thinking of doing a “tribute” post to several different bloggers, I’m glad you mentioned that. I agree that it might not always work, but it’s certainly worth a shot, if for no other reason than to show the awesome stuff you’ve learned from them.

Welcome to my blog! (I know you commented minutes before this one on an older post of mine, but this is the one I’m responding to first. And how could I not welcome you?)

Trust me, even though I’ve been doing this blogging thing for almost ten years, I can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed. There’s just so much competition out there. So many blogs competing for their eyes and ears of readers.

I like the look of your site a lot. Are you having good success with your eBook and course?

From the comments, it would appear the “tribute” idea is the one most people find interesting. Which is interesting, to me, because it’s not the idea I expected people to dig! 🙂 You’ll have to let me know if you decide to write any tributes. I’d love to read them!

Thanks! Thank you very much, Brittany. That’s very nice of you to say.

Kevin, you are always so creative. You just made a post out of “how and why you wrote an 8000 word blog”. Genus! I have actually enjoyed reading every of your posts. There’s just something unique about your writing and there’s always something unexpected to learn.

The 8000 word post is probably a record, if there’s a Guinness book of records for longest blog post ever written. I just searched online and the longest I could find from my Google results was 1,778 words. There’s got to be others longer than that. My curiosity continues and I’ll keep you posted.

It is indeed difficult to stand out with the amount of new blogs that sprout up every day. In one of my recent articles, I asked if one should choose their blog niche based on passion or potential to make money. We both do share the opinion that passion has the upper hand. Passion blogs do tend to stand out because of the extra TLC that goes into the research and presentation of the posts.

I will devote some time to go over your suggestions for writing an article that stands out, as well as the epic 8000 word post. When I do use any of the strategies, I will give you credit for the idea.

Meanwhile, keep up the great work, I look forward to the next epic post!

Ahhh, why thank you! I’m glad you get something out of my posts. That’s so nice to hear. 🙂

A record? No, it can’t possibly be a record. That would be very surprising. Of course, I don’t know how you could track this sort of thing, but my hunch is there are posts (not series, not eBooks, but posts) out there which have topped 10k words. Just my hunch.

And I know for certain 1,778 can’t be the previous record because most the posts I’ve written on Be A Better Blogger have been longer than that. 🙂

Do keep me posted, though! I’m curious as to what you find.

Good luck going forward if you decide to implement any of these ideas. I’m sure you’ll do great, whatever you decide to do!

Hi Kevin,
Being memorable is definitely important, especially in niches where there are tons of other blogs covering similar topics. I appreciate the honesty of this post and your advice.

Long posts can help, but sometimes I fear that too much emphasis is placed on word counts when it comes to long form content. If a blogger starts out with the goal of writing a post that reaches a certain word count rather than aiming to thoroughly cover the topic, chances are it’s not going to be as effective as it could be. Anyone can write a long post, but not everyone can or will write a long post that is truly useful. Your 8,000 word post was very detailed and useful for people looking for help in that area, and it happened to take that many words to cover the topic in detail. Your content stands out to me because it is practical and because you have a great writing style, not because of the number of words.

All of your suggestions for standing out are excellent, and the real-world examples definitely make it easier to see how it can be done.

I think you’re right. Getting to a certain number of words (1k, 1.5k, 2k, etc) seems to be a point of emphasis for too many bloggers. It’s like scoring 30 points in a basketball game. Sure, impressive number. But if your team loses because you refused to pass the ball or play defense, it’s a hollow 30.

The number of words doesn’t matter nearly as much as the quality of those words.

For the purpose of this blog post, yes, a big number will help you get noticed. But, as I hopefully alluded to within the post, you want to be memorable for the right reasons. If you write a long post, but it’s awful… what good does it do you?

Believe it or not, my 8,317-word post was originally longer. I edited it down to 8,317 words.

That’s how it should be, I believe. If 2,000 words is your goal, don’t try stretching a 1,500-word post by adding 500 words of filler. You should write a 2,500 or 3,000-word post and edit down to 2,000 words.

This way, the end result will be, as you put it: “A long post that is truly useful.”

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you to write your monstrous 8,317 word blog post? I just can’t begin to imagine. 🙂

Honestly, I’m still finding my feet in the blogging world, so I haven’t yet found a point of differentiation. In fact, just a few weeks ago, I got so hung up on ‘being different’ I was struck by analysis paralysis – not a fun place to be, that’s for sure!

In the end, I had to revert back to basics and rely on my strong ethical stance and unique writing voice to help my content get noticed. That, coupled with an aggressive, in-depth blog commenting strategy and good old social media networking seems to have given my blog the boost it needs (for now).

I like the idea of tip #5 – writing a whole post around an influential blogger. I’m going to give that a try. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂

I can’t think of any additional ways to stand out off the top of my head, but I’m sure the ideas will come flowing once I’ve had time to digest your post.

Well, I honestly lost track of how long it took me to write it. But, I can tell you I did within six days. I started on Friday, published on Thursday. And considering I have a regular, 40-hour job… let’s just say it was an interesting week. 🙂

For someone still finding her feet in the blogging world, I think you’re doing remarkably well, Kerry!

Your unique voice, combined with your promotion strategies are likely more than enough to get you noticed. Just keep plugging away!

You’re welcome! Let me know when you write your influential-blogger post. I’ll be interested in reading it and sharing it.

If you think of more ideas, be sure to let me know! I’m always on the hunt for ways to be memorable. 🙂

It is quite amazing to see you wrote two unforgettable posts in ten days which shows quality and quantity both can be maintained if someone really wants.

IT is quite easy to say a blogger must stand out in the crowd. But practically doing it is heck of the task.

I think now there is no place of over-smart tips and tricks in blogging to be noted. Neither search engines nor readers note any blogger who tries to play game in this field.

Your previous post of more than 8000 words and its huge response at social media and blogging community is ample proof of the fact that now to grow in this field one has to produce the best possible he can do.

IN this post also you mentioned several awesome points to stand out in the crowd where hundreds of blogs are being created in very minute.

So now quality will rule the blogging industry as it is doing in other fields. It means those who can produce quality will stay here and oversmart guys will quit it sooner or later.

Thanks! I’m not sure how I wrote any second post within 10 days of the 8,317-word one! But I’m quite happy (and surprised) by the reader reaction to this post. 🙂

Yes, saying “you must stand out” is quite easy isn’t it? Doing it is a bit tougher. There are no tricks or shortcuts. Standing out is hard work, regardless of which tactic you choose to use for doing so!

I am not a crazy-teenager-type going all hysterical just because Justin Bieber is in town. In fact, I never went hysterical about anyone coming to town, even when I was a teenager (and that was a while ago).

I’d like to think that I am a quite mature – in a good way, not like old mouldy cheese – and a pretty well balanced person. However, something rather odd has started happening recently. I’ve started getting excited about notifications of your new posts popping up on my screen (hint – I do subscribe to your blog 🙂 )

Yes, you are very good at being memorable. The first post of yours I read was a chance encounter and while I do not remember every single thing you wrote in it (but I try to remember good grammar), I do remember it was the one with Weird Al Jankovic in the title.
Memorable? Most definitely so.

Your epic-length post last week was just that – epic. And this one is no less brilliant despite its baby size (by comparison, of course – not my fault your previous post raised expectations).

So I am not just reading your posts. I’ve started looking forward to reading your posts. In fact, I am probably looking out for your posts now and that’s not what I would normally do.

Your blog provides great entertainment combined with massive educational value and, as a total newbie, I have LOADS to learn. No idea why on earth you’re sharing this all for free rather than charge mega-bucks and get rich very quickly. Or maybe this is the next step in your great Marketing Masterplan? I don’t know. I do know, though, that I wouldn’t be able to pay mega-bucks to read your material, so I am just grateful that you are inclined to share your wisdom.

Don’t worry, like I’ve said – I think I am a pretty sane and well balanced individual, so I’m not going to start going all hysterical, or even worse – stalk you somewhere on the web, but I will continue reading your posts and may leave a comment every now and then. It shouldn’t be any worse than this one, so you’re pretty safe.

Thank you for the most positive and flattering comment I’ve received in… well, possibly ever!

I wish I could say readers getting excited after receiving notifications of my new posts was the norm, but I highly doubt it! It’s wonderful to hear you have that level of anticipating in regards to my writing. If everyone felt as you did, I imagine I would be quite popular! Haha.

Gosh, as I move through the paragraphs in your comment, your words are getting more and more complimentary! Thank you, Beata. As for whether or not my “sharing this all for free” is a part of some great marketing masterplan: Not really.

I want to gain readers, and have the blog grow and grow and grow. And one day, sure, I will have eBooks to sell, or maybe courses or software I develop. But I’m always going to write posts like these. My payment for these “free” posts are the wonderful comments left to me the likes of yours truly. 🙂

Thank you for your flattering, epic comment, Beata. And thank you for assuring me you won’t stalk me! Haha.

Hope you’re having a great week. And don’t worry: I’ll have a new post published on Thursday! 🙂

Thanks so much for the kind response. I just published the ebook about a week ago and I haven’t even checked the stats on it. I’m in no rush. The email course is going really well, thanks for asking! My primary goal right now is to establish some authority in my niche since I’m just now getting into marketing; my primary business is my freelance blogging company.

You’re welcome! So you’re eBook is pretty new. Glad you’ve had such success with the email course. That’s awesome.

Establishing authority in your niche is a wonderful primary goal. Everything else will flow from it. If you’re an authority, people will listen to you. And they will buy what you’re selling. Sounds like you’ve got a great game plan. 🙂

My biggest income source? I’m actually in the investment stage of the blog right now. It’s still… two days shy of its 3-month birthday. It’s a baby. The Google Adsense you see in my header is primarily a placeholder. One day it will be replaced by whatever eBook, course or software I develop.

The services I offer in my “Hire Me” section I look at as separate from the blog. I offered those long before the blog came into existence, so I don’t count them as blog income.

So, all that to say: Right now I’m growing my readership, growing my mailing list, and, like you, trying to establish my authority. The income will come a bit later. I’m working up to it. 🙂

I wonder how many new blogs will come online while I type this comment. Yikes! A bunch I would think.

I don’t think about how long my comments are, I just usually always have so much to say. Yep, I’m a talked which is why if you were to ever come and visit or we were to even talk on the phone there would never be a lag in conversation. I always have something to say. LOL!!!

Oh and thanks for mentioning me again by the way. I’m so darn flattered and I wanted to be sure to get that in before I continue. Gosh, I’m glad that something I’m doing is inspiring others. That’s why I blog.

So I do write long posts but compared to a lot of bloggers out there it’s nowhere near as long as some. I’m not the “epic” post kind of gal myself. But you know what! That’s kind of what makes me stand out.

My blog isn’t the best looking blog online. I like it but hey, it’s mine! 😉 I don’t write the most fabulous content out there, you can probably find it elsewhere. I think what makes me stand out is that I write in a more conversational tone and through that people can relate to me. I explain things so most people can understand it even if before you didn’t have a clue what we were talking about.

Of course as I comment and share my thoughts on the posts that I read it’s obvious that I truly care about people and I’m always eager to help them. Let’s face it, that’s attractive to a LOT of people wouldn’t you agree?

As far as the untapped sources go, huh… I’m good at finding a few but I guess I’m going to have to start digging a little deeper now so thanks for putting that thought in my head. I think!

Now I’m no comedian so I’ll leave that one up to you but I’m not boring so that’s a good thing.

I’ve mentioned Jon Morrow twice in some posts and he’s never stopped by. Not that I expected him to but it would have been really cool. I think I just go that way though when I’ve read something they shared or learned something from then and of course I’ve been working diligently to improve my headlines so it has gotten some attention.

The one thing I don’t want to lean towards is arguing for the sake of bringing about some attention. I look at that as having a reputation to uphold so although I am definitely very opinionated I try to keep some of those thoughts to myself and not let my mouth get the better of me. I get what you’re saying about introducing that into a post but for the sake of just stirring things up I probably won’t but I have had my rants. I just can’t help myself at times.

Okay, I think I’m done for now so thanks for getting us to thinking once again Kevin. You’re pretty good at that so watch out. My mind is going to explode soon. LOL!!!

Haha. I bet close to 1k blogs are created every time you write a comment, Adrienne. How surreal is that!

You’re welcome. Happy to mention you again!

I think your posts are the perfect length. You stand out by being you. Haha. Your conversational tone, your relatable personality, and your willingness to help people makes you stand out. Your readers trust you, and that’s worth its weight in gold!

When your readers know you care about them and are willing to help them, you’ve reached a level 99% of bloggers will never reach. These 1% of bloggers don’t just have readers, they have readers for life.

Agreed with you regarding point #6. I wouldn’t want to argue for the sake of attention. If I find something I believe in which goes against wildly held bloggin believes, absolutely I would write about it. But, I would brace myself for the backlash, because that’s just my personality. I’d rather have people giving me kudos than “how dare yous.” 🙂

Thanks again for your comment, Adrienne. Enjoyed the guest post of Andrew’s you published yesterday. Looking forward to the next “Adrienne Original.”

I’m feeling a bit intimidated, y’all, by the wonderful voluble comments. I’m pretty sure mine will win the prize for brevity today; I’m tired. And I’ve learned (after my dance with critical illness this year) to stop when it’s time to stop.

Nice to e-meet you Kevin, I’m very glad I found your site, and will come back for more. I popped over from Delia’s blog commenting post….

I’m annoyed and intrigued by the idea of finding a way to be different from the others in my niche; well, even more different than I’m sure I already am. The annoying part is having to learn something new. (Did I mention I’m tired?) You’re the second person in a week to suggest I check out slideshare.

Annoyed or not, looks like the idea of enhancing my uniqueness has taken hold…. Since I’ve embraced the slow since I slowly started coming back to life, this will reveal itself slowly. I declare that to be magnificently okay!

Haha. If you’re tired reading all these epic-length comments, just imagine how I feel replying to each of them! 😀

Welcome to my blog! Happy to have you here, Sue. I’ll have to send Delia a thank-you note!

Oh, believe me, I can relate. Even after doing this blogging thing for almost 10 years and seeing first hand all the changes, it’s still slightly annoying when I discover something new I need to learn and dip my toes into in order to separate myself from others in my niche! SlideShare is a perfect example. It’s fun! It’s popular! I’ve had great success with it my first week! But it’s yet another thing to learn and get better in.

How you’re doing ? It’s good to read another post from your side. Well after your 8000 words above article, I’m a little glad that this one didn’t transcend the last one. ( lol !!) No I’m serious here. Very strong points you have written on Kevin. It’s true that to be eye catching, you need to stand out of the crowd. But what you’re gonna do if it’s all been done before ? I mean almost all bloggers who are out there are treading on that same old path. It really is a kick start for the beginners I’ll say but it isn’t enough to reach the top. I know (being a novice here) that it is rather difficult to write on something unique. I mean the top class bloggers acts as an inspiration for us but it’s already been done before. So how to stand out of the crowd then ? Your article will act as a yardstick to brush away the doubts. I got to learn and know so much from here. All thanks to you.

You are absolutely right in saying that many bloggers comment on others’ blog to get noticed. But in the process of doing that, they end up with superfluous comments. It’s very flattering to hear words of praise but the comments in itself doesn’t stay in the memory for long. I have come across many such people who just writes two or three lines saying how good you were and all. With all due respect it is fine but writing something different and getting into a conversation with a fellow blogger gets you going a long way. I remember just the other day I was having a conversation with my blog’s co-author. We were just talking about the uniqueness and the promotional strategies. That is okay but not enough. The problem poses when you are competing with millions of other bloggers. It sounds scary I believe. But with the proper mindset and proper direction, the hurdle is nothing but just another stepping stone.

I just have one question. How much time it took you to write that epic article (no puns intended) And I really liked your Taylor Swift boyfriend switching thing. Lol !!!! That was hilarious. Anyways, a great post and as usual very informative. Keep writing such stuffs and keep up the good work. Have a blasting weekend. God Bless !!!!

Haha. I’m glad this post didn’t reach the 8,000-word level of the last one, too! Talk about exhausting. I’m still playing catch up on all my blogging duties (reading, comment, writing) thanks to that long post.

Thanks! I’m glad this post was helpful to you, and I really hope it’s helpful to others as well. Getting noticed, being memorable… it’s difficult. And it can feel impossible when you’re a new blogger. You just have to work hard, be consistent, and find a way — some way — to make you and your blog stand out from the crowd. My ideas in this post are starting points, but there are lots of other ways. You just have to find what works for you!

Glad you liked the Taylor Swift joke! As for how long it took me to write the 8,317-word post… I honestly lost track. But, I can tell you I did it within six days. I started on Friday, published on Thursday. And considering I have a regular, 40-hour job, it’s safe to assume I was very tired that week! 🙂

Thanks again for stopping by, Sanjay. Hope you’re having a great week so far.

Good to see you again! Glad to hear you’ve used all of these suggestions with your own blog and have had success with them. And you’re right, even those already at the top, I’m sure, still strive to be better. I’m nowhere near the top. But if I ever get there you better believe I’ll continue trying to get even higher!

And yes, that is the tricky part. If everyone is trying to be different, how can anyone be different? I guess it comes down to this: Do “different” better than everyone else! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by, Okto. And thanks for the kind words. Hope you’re having a great week!

Perfectly put, and thanks so much again for mentioning me! Much appreciated.

I go deeper, and deeper, and dig deeper, and deeper, and deeper, to find reservoirs of talent I hadn’t tapped. I dig, and dig, and come up with another idea. I sit in silence, and allow the Universe to supply me. Then I write.

I always dig keeping some content on deck. Like a few hours ago…..I wrote 2 articles for clients today and already did a bunch of outreach, but I had to start my next post. It’s not due until 3 days from now, Fiji time, but I had to get it started because posting three times weekly, at 2500 words a pop, forces me to get writing early.

I love your advice here and your 8K post was epic. That’s what it takes. Stick to the basics, but when it comes to posting comments, and writing posts, go above, and beyond….not to be perfect, and not so you can hold back and wait months, just to publish a post, but to make those suckas – posts – go live, each week, and to make them truly memorable.

Just keep digging, don’t sweat cutting things off when you hit a word count. Write, write, write. Look at you; at 8K that’s an easy eBook, but you knowing that paying and it, or over delivering, makes you memorable.

Heavy hitters became heavy hitters by being memorable, so naturally they appreciate when you appreciate them, or mention them.

As for me, I use the greats as inspiration, and I just keep digging, and digging, and raising the bar. Not from a desperate space, but from an inspired, fun-loving, high energy space, because I think by doing so I’m adding greater value to the world, and that I’m humbly helping to change lives, when I keep on digging deeper, to test my limits….then, I release them, and find some idea or talent, or story, that was formerly hidden.

Good to see you again. You’re welcome regarding the mention! You leave epic comments on every blog you visit, so how could I not include you on a list of epic commenters? 🙂

Just saw your guest post on DBT. Way to go! I’ll be submitting something of my own this week, too, hopefully.

It really does amazing me how prolific you are writing. Your posts are long, and you write three a week. You leave long comments on numerous blogs every week. You have clients you write articles for. I know I have that pesky “40-hour a week job” competing for my time, but still… I admire your ability to publish so much content each week. It’s impressive.

I feel like just asking, how long did it take you to write this your super 8,317 word blog article? I find it difficult to understand, maybe i may get to that level some day but for now, 250 to 650 words is enough for me and my readers. Anything above that should be parted into Pt1, P2, P3, P4, Pt5 etc.

I honestly lost track how long it took me to write the 8,317-word post. But, I can tell you I did it within six days. I started on Friday, published on Thursday. And yes, it was a very tiring six days!

Don’t worry, long posts like that one aren’t right for everyone. And they aren’t right for every blogging niche. So, if 650 words or less works for your situation, that’s definitely what you should do. 🙂

Wow, Kevin – I can’t imagine a 8000 word post, that’s more than a lot of eBooks including mine. ( I will surely have to check it out now, curiousity killing me! ) I haven’t been reading your blog since the beginning so I’m not sure how often you post. I see so many bloggers of late leaving long comments and I wonder how do they do it all? They post several times a week and are ON all the social networks reguarly.
I don’t blog full time but some days after working a regular job I do spend at least 4-6 daily on blogging activities. And as now on weekends too.
My last post was a collection of opinions on a topic from 8 other bloggers. Maybe next time I will ask 25 or 50 bloggers a question for a longer interview. That does take a lot of time to put together as well. But it gives them exposure, gives my readers more opinions and may work well overall. Thanks for making us think harder how we can stand out Kevin 🙂

Epic post, epic engagement with this one Kevin and thanks again for mentioning me and AmyTV! I’ve certainly noticed that the more I trust in myself to communicate content through my personality (rather than just providing information) the more the content stands out.

The content and blogging world has changed a lot since I started in 2008. It is harder to get noticed and to be heard, but there are still ways of doing it. Particularly if you start with the unconventional… like 8,000 word posts. 🙂

Reading your blog for the first time. Loving it. And, Seriously this post is exceptional. I agree with you. Nobody wants to be remembered as unimpressive… By Keeping things simple and clear can give you a go to the acceptability-zone, for the readers and influential gurus you want to meet someday.

Long blog posts are usually called pillar posts. They get constant traffic for the blog and huge amount of backlinks. Linking to that blog post from the homepage helps a lot in passing some authority to that lengthy blog post. Social media promotion is important in this case.

Replying for all the comments on blogs also is a great way of building rapport with readers.

Yes, I’ve had good success so far with traffic and backlinks in regards to the 8,317-word post. It’s resulted in quite a few email subscribers, too. I’m very pleased with it. It was definitely worth the effort!

Replying to all comments is an excellent way to build a rapport with readers, I agree. That’s why — even if my busy schedule causes me to be a week late — I respond to each and every comment. If you take the time to write to me, I should take the time to respond!

Thanks again for stopping by, Akshay. Hope you’ll return. Have a great week!

This is an exceptional post, Kevin. I can easily see why you are getting so many awesome comments.

I used to do a lot of commenting when I first entered into blogging niche and it not only generated a ton of new comments to my own blog posts, but also quality backlinks & traffic from search engines. And that’s when I realized the power of leaving meaningful and epic comments. It was a few years ago, I don’t do it anymore because of the time.

For last few months, I am focusing more on guest posting and finding untapped traffic sources. I also followed Brian Dean’s advice and created an epic WordPress plugins post and ended up getting featured on some high authority sites.

By the way, your 8000 words post is awesome, keep up the awesome work :).

Thanks! Very kind of you to say. The number of comments I receive, and the awesomeness of them, surprise me each and every day. My readers are amazing. And they’ve essentially given me a second job because I try to respond to every comment left to me! It was easy when I was receiving 5 comments. It’s harder when you’re getting 30 or more! 🙂

I’ve been to your site before. Don’t think I’ve ever commented before, but I know I’ve been to WPKube a time or two or three. You’re doing a great job, and have been doing so since… 2010, right? That’s 50 years in blogging time!

I recently discovered Brian Dean. Very impressed with his stuff. Are you familiar with Bryan Harris of Video Fruit? Similar to Backlinko… great tips. You should check him out if you haven’t already.

Now, 8,000 word post is not a piece of cake. If you put in time and do your research to come up with such, you are surely going to be rewarded.

It’s not about mixing words to increase the number. It’s about words that increase the value.

You have mentioned some great bloggers that are known for their comments that sometimes challenge the length of the commented post. You will notice these guys don’t only write long comments. The first thing they do is read the complete article. That enables them to drop such attractive comments. I admire them for that.

Time is fast changing isn’t it? The things we were told to do in the past no longer have the same effects. Yes, 1000+ new blogs have just popped up as I read this post. We are now so many so how do I stand out?

We are all writing epic content, commenting on other blogs, hosted on blazing speed servers, etc. What’s the difference?

This same questions you have raised and treated here can only be conceived by minds that have risen to a certain maturity in the industry. They see things differently and you are one of them. That’s why I started by saying you know where you are from and where you are heading to.

Oh! Did you notice that most of the comments on this post are really getting long? looks like you’ve got good students 😉

Good to see you again. Yep, you’re right. The things we were taught years ago, or the things which worked for us in the past, don’t work anymore. Or, they don’t work as well.

I think back to how blogs were when I started in 2005 and it’s remarkable. Social media wasn’t a thing. Your email list was a thing, but most people concentrated on RSS subscribers. Blogs would cover dozens of different topics (verses now where we are much more specialized). It’s very different. Very, very different.

Haha. Yes, I’ve definitely noticed how the comments I’m receiving are getting longer and longer. It seems to be a trend. But hey, it’s a good trend! 🙂

Cool, Kevin, it sounds like we have a lot in common as far as our plans are concerned. I can tell you’ve laid a lot of ground work in building your community since your blog is so new and you already have such great engagement!

I’ve visited your blog several times now, but every time I begin reading a post a distraction (usually work related) pops up. I’m going to give it another go tomorrow, because my hunch is it’s great!

Oh, thank you, but honestly… the success my blog has had surprises me. I have actually fallen behind responding to comments due to their quantity, and that’s a scenario I would have thought to be impossible three months ago! 🙂

Your encouragement not to be discouraged – I needed that. Thanks Kevin.

Great blog and to think you only launched in the summer of last year ! Wow !!

I need you to write a blog post entitled “3 Tips on how to be a Kevin Duncan”. Sounds a little corny but seriously, I cannot wait to dig deeper into your content and learn how you did it. Have a great day 😀

This is my second visit to your blog. To be honest I always find very boaring very long posts as I dont have that much patience to read all long posts. But your blog post I seriously never found anything boaring here. I was scrolling, scrolling and scrolling to read the rest of your posts. Actually long posts makes sense in giving its complete insight to our blog audience and you have really described it well. Agree that long posts are always a memorable one and we can stand ahead of our competitors. Thanks for this great stuff!! Awesome.

I just read your guest post on Adrienne’s blog and seen the title of this post. I had to come over to see what it was all about!

I never thought that 1000 blog posts would be written in the time it took me to read this post. Pretty incredible! And that is one reason we all need to stand out of the crowd.

I have to say that when it comes to commenting, it is my favorite way of getting readers to my blog. Hey…this is how I got here lol.

Seriously, when we get out there and leave a good comment on a blog, and share it on social media, reciprocity will kick in. I can’t tell you how many of my readers found me because of a comment I left somewhere so this works!

So true when you say don’t leave a comment, leave an epoch comment! Those that leave one liners never make it to my blog. Unless I know them and they are new, I’ll let it slip in, but Comments to me are the back bone of our blogs.

Wonderful post!
I think, to write 8000 words is a difficult thing for me right now. You know, English is not my native language. To create a post 1500 to 2000 words, it really messes up my brain..hahaha 😀

But, it does not rule out the possibility I will try it someday when my writing skills better. I will try it. 🙂

You bring up points that are not realized by many bloggers. Indeed, how can we be remembered if everyone did the same as we do. It was a really good point.

First off, thank you for mentioning me in this post. It was very kind of you. HEHE, and I have to admit that if I didn’t see my name in the comments section of this article, I would have panicked, wondering, “CRAP! …am…I not entertaining and engaging?”

You’d see me yelling into the other room, “KATHI—KEVIN SAYS I AIN’T FUNNY NO MORE!! *sniff* NOW WHAT DO I DO??”

The truly funny thing about this is, I didn’t know you when the article first came out. Don’t see my comments here—and I try to make sure I always appear and contribute (or I want to, anyway), because you’re the first blogger I’ve EVER been a fan of.

Ever.
…but we’ve had this talk.

The timing of this article is beyond perfect. Not really interested in going into too much detail why, but I’ll say that I’ve been going down the wrong road (again) and sign after sign has been popping up in my life.

The funny thing is, Kathilynn looked at me when it all hit me..and smiled. She took my hands and said, “Look at the incredible things you can accomplish when you’re going the WRONG way, sweetie. This is exciting!”

She’s worth her weight in Twinkies, let me tell you.

…I’d say gold, but the value keeps dropping. Twinkies are eternal.

You know what this post meant to me? What it shouted??

For me to completely go against blogging reason.

I truly think I’ve been focusing on the wrong things—and now I get it.

I actually get it.

I’m a writer of fantasy books. It’s what I do. Entertain, inspire and make folks laugh through the world I’ve created over a 20 year period.

So when did blogging become my main focus?

When I took out my world journals and started writing a few days ago, something magical happened.

I smiled.
…and I couldn’t stop.

The voices in my head started clamoring, and Chuck got out the Disco Ball. It was party time….and I’ve missed that!

So thanks Kevin, for this timely and brilliant article.
You’re awesome.

I had to wipe my brow for you after you said you wrote an 8,000 word post!

But that’s what makes you unique.

Like you said, how may people would be willing to write an 8,000 word post. Not too many! This is what’s going to make you stand out of the crowd.

But that’s what it’s all about right? To find ways to do things a big different and go beyond the threshold of just getting on the bandwagon.

Many people are blogging, as you mentioned every half of a second a blog is being created. So with those figures we must figure out what we must do to be different. I think this really correlates with being definitive which was your second point!

I also like the fact that you mentioned about being funny. Yes, it’s not fun being serious all the time. Especially to your audience. To be even more intriguing you want to had a little sense of humor. Showing you audience of a more comedic side of the point you’re trying to get across will different win them over.

Arguing against conventional idea will really push those buttons of your audience and give them a different perspective of what was already conditioned in them. Sometimes you want to take them to the other side of town so they can actually see the whole picture of those different ideas and strategies so they can choose what to do for themselves! It’s risky, but hey, we’re entrepreneurs, taking risk is natural for us!

Thanks for the sharing Kevin! This post was definitely inspirational for me to push the medal to the pedal!

Kevin, I think that the only blogger who can really getaway with that is: Ryan Biddulph.

Why?

Because he started off writing longer than average posts (And, that is what his readers expect of him).

I think that I might scare a few readers away with such lengthy posts (Hmm. But, I might gain some too).

Anyway, on a positive note, articles that are longer tend to do better than articles that are shorter. I would recommend that posts should be around 1500 words and over, because Google tends to give lengthy and in-depth articles first priority (And, it is perfect for SEO too).

However, I do not think that my friend, Adrienne Smith would ever dare to post an article on her blog that comprises of 8000 words, because her readers may wrongfully think that she is coming down with some type of fever and that her brain is in need of cooling down.

Adrienne Smith is a blogging genius who is capable of producing a magnificent article that is comprised 850 words or less.

[…] the Author: Kevin Duncan is the owner of Be A Better Blogger, where he writes epic posts such as Be Memorable: Why I wrote an 8,000-word blog post (and why you should do something just as crazy). His goal is help people become the best bloggers they can […]